Contour Enthusiasts Group Archives Forums General Troubleshooting Ball Joints Are Killing me

Sorry to be a pest but ..

I was removing my passenger side lower ball joint in my 98 Gl and it has been one fight after anouther But the book and people here said it was an easy job. Well maybe for some people.

Heres my problem :

The top of the ball joint that connects to the pinch bolt (or what ever you call it) wont come apart nor will it do any thing else.
the bolt that runs through the top (T-55) dosnt push out.
took a punch and a lot of Blaster and it dont go anywhere.
this is causing the top of the ball joint not to realse.
Its not like this is my first day doing any work on rigs.But this is driving me batty and the ol' lady is on me like white on rice. so any masterminded ideas would be really helpful.

I've had issues with the lower pinch bolt getting jammed. I usually go crazy with PB blaster and then use an air hammer with a fine point to drive the sucker out. The once it's out. I insert a wedge in the slit around the back of the knuckl and hammer it in the split open the pinch a little. While it's still in there I then use a crow bar tuck into the subframe (on pre-98's) or through the opening on the LCA to push down the remove the ball joint from the knuckle.

Can you get the bolt to rotate with the T-55? Try doing that first as I've had better luck rotating the bolt to break it free from rust than trying to drive it out from the end to break the rust. Also, try heating the joint a small amount and then hitting with PB blaster as it will help to soak in better. Better yet, if you're not saving the strut get it nice and toasty hot then hit it with the blaster and socket.

Also, it wouldn't surprise me if the ball itself is also rusted to the housing along with the bolt. In that case you'll have to use Stazi's method of the wedge and crowbar.

Rick

Well i went to my friendly autozone to get a t-55 Tried to twist but it really wanted to strip so i stoped. I dont have a air hammer I even tried punch from top But the transaxle is in my way and i did not really want to remove that (If it aint broke dont fix it because stupid is as stupid does) Because what else could go wrong.

Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!

Well the ball joint housing is history and i left with a upside down trailer ball. Just a ball at the end of a shaft but the shaft is still in the pinch bolt. i can spin it with my fingers, take a pair of vice grips hook on to it and hammer (supported everything) It aint moving. I can hammer it up and hit it down and i get a bout a 1/8" movement. But then it stops solid. Only good heat source i have is a propane torch for plumming .

I know its a hard bolt, but if you take a good small drill bit like a 1/8 and drill slowly so as not to burn out the drill bit...then move to a little bigger bit, and so on...then try to pound it out after you have drilled out the threaded end past the inner of the clamp.Drive a wedge into the flange to try and loosen it some. Anything else your going to need it red hot, then cool it quickly with water...and pound away. Tell the wife to go read a novel...you should be done before her.

The way I got mine out was to use a chisel on the side of the head to twist the bold out. This will work but you have to buy a new bolt. This was the only way I could get mine out.

Bob

Jam a thick screwdriver in the pinch part and use an air hammer on the top to drive it out. I had to do that when I changed my control arms.

It is a REAL PAIN IN THE ASS. But, when it does finally come out, it's like you won the frickin' SuperBowl!

Any other bright ideas on this one ? I spend a good day rasslin with a bolt

I pried mine apart with a long narrow breaker bar. Really lube it up to get it to soak into the rust. You only need to pry the knucle apart a little.
Use some Anti-seize lube when you re-install incase the front end has to come apart again at some point.